The following description includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art or relevant to the presently claimed invention, or that any publication specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
The current inventor has developed numerous prior hypoxia incubator chambers, see e.g., http://www.stemcell.com/en/Pro ducts/All-Pro ducts/Hypoxia-Incub ator-Chamber.aspx; http://www.hypoxiaincubator.com/; and http://www.jove.com/video/2899/induction-and-testing-of-hypoxia-in-cell-culture. All publications herein are incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication or patent application were specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference. Where a definition or use of a term in an incorporated reference is inconsistent or contrary to the definition of that term provided herein, the definition of that term provided herein applies and the definition of that term in the reference does not apply.
Unfortunately, previously developed chambers generally suffer from numerous disadvantages. For example, previously known chambers often have gas ports that extend well beyond the perimeter of the other components of the chamber, and can thus be easily damaged. Furthermore, many of the previously developed chambers are difficult to operate and fail to provide a desired level of modularity, functionality and convenience. Still further, functional tolerances in known products can be difficult to obtain and maintain.
Thus, there is still a need for improved incubator chambers and clamps.